Remarks at a Dinner
Honoring Charles Z. Wick, Director of the United States Information Agency

November 17, 1988

Thank
you, Harold. Thank you all very much. It's a delight to join you tonight as we
honor a dear friend of mine and Nancy's. But what brings me here is a lot more
than our friendship. It is to recognize and express my gratitude for the
remarkable job Charles Wick has done at USIA. To put it simply: Charles is the
man who brought our international communications agency into the 20th century.
And you know, this happens to be one of my favorite
centuries. [Laughter] Charlie and I have shared a considerable portion of it
together. [Laughter] Over the years, Charlie has distinguished himself as a
businessman and entrepreneur, an attorney, a musician, an ardent and devoted
patron of the arts, and a passionate patriot and lover of freedom. And now he
can add to this litany the unique distinction of being the longest serving
director, as you've been told, in the history of USIA, certainly one of the
very finest. And boy, has he worked hard! Charlie is a man who loves puns. But
I'll tell you, this Wick has been burning his candle
at both ends. [Laughter]

It
was Charlie who introduced the revolutionary concept of WORLDNET, successfully
launched Radio Marti, gave us RIAS TV -- the television counterpart to our
radio station in Berlin -- in modernizing the
Voice of America, and helped the United States get its message out to
the world with a degree of technological sophistication never seen before.

Now,
people have asked me how I discovered this very effective public servant. Well,
I just looked for someone with the balance of two qualities: a greatness of
vision, yet still able to understand Washington. [Laughter] And when I
found the man who would produce the classic film that combined Snow White and
the Three Stooges -- [laughter] -- I said, I have found that man.

But
the truth is that Charlie has played a central role in making U.S. information policy, a
key part of our international activities in foreign policy. He's worked in
concert with the top policy officials at the State Department and on the
National Security Council and has served as my principal adviser on
international information and cultural matters.

In
1983, when Korean Airlines flight 007 was shot down, it was USIA, under
Charlie's direction, that produced the dramatic video
presentation we took to the United Nations to show the world what happened in
the final minutes of that doomed flight. And as the Soviet Union began to introduce
glasnost, Charlie arranged the U.S.-Soviet information talks to address key
issues on the bilateral flow of information. With his ongoing efforts, new
understandings were reached on disinformation and on the exchange of films and
publications. The Voice of America is no longer jammed by the Soviets. And they
have granted permission for the first time for Voice of America to open a
bureau in Moscow.

The
genius of Charlie Wick lies in his ability to recognize how changing
information technology, especially satellite communications, has transformed
the international political landscape. He understands the need for the United States to convey its message
to the people of the world if we're to succeed internationally. And he knows
how to do it better than it's ever been done before.

One
thing that he also knows so well is that the United States Government can't do
it alone. We couldn't have done it without you. All of you who have
participated in the private sector committees and been so generous in your
support have been a critical part of our success. Private sector volunteers,
people like you working in such areas as medicine, labor, publishing, public
relations, marketing, engineering, radio, television, and other fields have
done much more than help USIA to do its important work. You've made it possible
for us to show the world the essence of the American idea and to present to the
planet our truest face: the one that says, ``We the
People.'' Only in a country in which it really is the people who rule would the
Government depend so greatly on private citizens like yourselves
to help America share our message with
the world. And only in a country as great as America would the response be
as great as yours has been.

We've
accomplished great things these past 8 years. Under Charlie's inspired
leadership and with your strong support, USIA has undergone a rebirth of vision
and a renewal of capability that will guide it well into the next century and
for which America is truly grateful.

So,
my good friend Charlie Wick, and to all of you, thank you, and God bless you.

Note: The President
spoke at 9:57 p.m. in the Hall of Flags at the Organization of American States
building. He was introduced by Harold Burson,
chairman and chief executive officer of Burson-Marsteller
and chairman of the dinner.